Haematological, haematopoietic and biochemical responses to thermal stress in an air‐breathing freshwater fish, Channa punctatus Bloch

Abstract

Results of experiments on fishes maintained at three different temperatures (25, 30 and 35" C). compared with a control group maintained at 14" C, are presented. Fishes showed obvious signs of stress at 30 and 35" C, as indicated by loss of weight and increase in mortality rate. On the other hand, those at 14 and 25" C gained weight steadily and showed normal growth.Biochemical studies confirm the stress symptoms, as there was a steady, statistically significant fall in blood glucose level and depletion of glycogen reserves in liver and muscle within the first week at 35" C and by the fourth week at 30" C.These results were further confirmed by haematological investigations. All the parameters tested indicated deviation from the normal healthy conditions seen at 14 and 25°C. The deviations in most of the parameters at 35" C were statistically significant from about the second week, and at 30" C by the fourth week. Erythrocytic polycythemia accompanied by an increase in haemoglobin content and haematwrit values were indicative of thermal stress. Leucopenia was mainly contributed by neutrophil decrease, but a relative increase in thrombocytes was recorded.Correlated erythropoietic studies indicated an increase both in the initial (small lymphoid haemoblast) and penultimate (mature reticulocyte) stages in red cell development, although the intermediate stages decreased in number. Similar trends in the different stages of neutrophil development were observed. The significance of these changes in the context of homeostatic phenomena is discussed.

Effects of endosulfan and phosphamidon poisoning on the peripheral blood of fish (Barbus conchonius Hamilton)

“…head kidneys) and/or (ii) failure to respond adequately to hemodilution caused by impaired renal function. Tissue lesions, including those in the kidneys and gills, have been detected in the fish exposed to different classes of pesticides (8) and reports on the erythropoietic responses to environmental stress are available in the literature (9). Blood dyscrasia due to pesticide poisoning has been described in other piscine species also.…”

Annual cycles of growth rate, feeding rate, food conversion, plasma glucose and plasma lipids in a population of European sea bass (Dicentrarchus labrax L.) farmed in floating marine cages

“…Clinical methods for monitoring the physiological condition of teleosts exposed to a wide range of environmental conditions have been used extensively in the past. The levels of biochemical variables in fish blood have been shown to be mainly affected by photoperiod, water temperature, dissolved oxygen, salinity, quality and rate of food consumed (Courtois, 1976; Alliot et al, 1984; Dheer, 1988; Audet and Claireaux, 1992; Audet et al, 1993; Vellas et al, 1994). Sea bass metabolic parameters show diurnal and seasonal changes (Carrillo et al, 1982, 1987; Gutierrez et al, 1984, 1987; Perez et al, 1988; Fernandez et al, 1989; Pavlidis et al, 1997).…”

Influence of Acute Temperature Stress on Hemoglobin Content in Snakeheaded Fish, Channa punctatus Godavari River, Nanded

“…Due to increase in RBC population, the haemoglobin content was also found to be increased 3 . Dheer exposed the freshwater fish Channa punctatus under three different temperatures (25, 30 and 35° C) and compared with a control group maintained at 14° C. He was found that Erythrocytic polycythemia accompanied by an increase in hemoglobin content indicates that the fish in thermal stress 20 . The overall data regarding the variation in hemoglobin content in freshwater fish, Channa punctatus exposed under varying thermal stress reveals that the hemoglobin tend to vary directly with temperature.…”